Suit
This suit is the epitome of mid-18th century men's wear with its curved jacket front, fitted breeches, narrow sleeves and decorative mid-thigh length waistcoat. Waistcoats of the time were a vehicle for imagination and, in this case, add an ornate aspect to an otherwise conservative ensemble. The unique textile of the waistcoat indicates an interest in the exotic, with a stairway leading up to a pavilion with an overarching natural elements, while still following traditional floral patterning commonly found in waistcoats of the 18th century. Unlike most suits of the period, this suit can be undoubtedly linked through matching buttons on the coat, breeches and waistcoat.
Artwork Details
- Title: Suit
- Date: 1740–60
- Culture: Italian
- Medium: silk, metal, cotton, linen
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of the International Business Machine Corporation, 1960
- Object Number: 2009.300.2480a–d
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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Italian
mid-18th century
French
1774–92
Anna Maria Garthwaite
Peter Lekeux
1747
British
1615–20
British
ca. 1760
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